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The Devils (US - DVD R1)

Warner Home Video appears to have cancelled the release in record time

Further Details:
Warner Home Video has sent over official artwork for an unrated edition (111 minutes) of the 1971 film The Devils which stars Vanessa Redgrave, Oliver Reed, and Dudley Sutton. The Ken Russell directed horror was originally scheduled for release on the 20th May, but has now disappeared from the schedule.

Synopsis

Quote: Originally rated X, this film combines historical, comedic, and surrealistic elements to tell a tale of politics and witchcraft. In order to take over pre-rennaisance France, Cardinal Richelieu and his power-hungry followers will have to eliminate Father Grandier. Grandier controls the one town that keeps Richelieu from having total control of the region. The plan is to convince the townspeople that Grandier is a warlock and that all of his nuns are possessed by devils. The accusations are heard at a public trial - whose results may surprise you.

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My patience wears thin. It's a disgrace. 2008 and we're still waiting for an official DVD release. Intelligent cinema has a hard time getting a large audience. The type of mainstream special effect filled performance bereft cr*p that big studios give release priority to, is what unfortunately sells at the moment in our mentally sedate and controlled reality TV world. Roll on the Brain police!!!!!!

Just since it disappeared of the schedule for the year doesn't mean it is gone for good. Perhaps they realised they had the wrong print ready for the DVD or something? My guess is that this will be announced again in the near-future.

I don't buy it that it was a mistake on Warner's part. They had the artwork up and a street date all set. Someone with final say power at Warner there said a firm "NO" to this release imo. Maybe they will change their minds someday down the road.

The sequence had never been seen since the film was made until it appeared in the Channel 4 documentary after Mark Kermode's quest for it.

But even the screening of the film itself after the documentary was the same old cut version. It's never been on TV uncut.

The footage has never been in any version officially released anywhere (as well as a scene where Redgrave uses a charred bone from Reed's corpse as a dildo). Bootlegs oropped up after the doc, and a restored print was shown at a screening in London.

But Kermode could not get 'Warmers' interested in restoring the film properly and releasing it. It was still too controversial in America.

I'm not sure what you think the 'Rape of Christ' sequence is but it's not the Rape of Christ sequence. It's a long orgy scene that ends with an effigy of Christ being molested by the horny nuns, shot from above. But t was reomved before the film's first cinema release and ha never been seen in any version since away from a cut n paste bootleg print.

How come so few cared enough to post on here until it was announced as not happening? Bizarre.

And no, it's not uncut in the UK. The UK one is less cut than the American 'R' version though.

But no one (not even on IMDB) came back to me about whether the print used for this supposed 'unrated' release (it would seem to be the print the Americans were going to give an 'X' to) was fully uncut, or just the cut UK version (cut even more for an 'R' ) with no 'Rape of Christ' sequence anyway.

I highly doubt a religious backlash as the news had not been out remotely long enough. Obviously just a wish fulfillment f**k-up.

The source of yesterday's rumor about a DVD of Ken Russell's The Devils coming out in May was Warner Home Video's own online/business website, which is called WHV Direct. The information, however, was a "mistake," according to WHV exec publicity director Ronnee Sass. She explained that right now "there are absolutely no plans to put out The Devils in '08," although the title may make an appearance down the road.

There must have been an outcry from relious groups when this edition was announced, and it has been whipped away in short order. Another possibility is that Warner might have realised that their current definition of "unrated" has been misconstrude as "uncut", and have abandoned the release so as not to anger those waiting for the full version.

A pity that this has been swiped away, as the only other existing uncut DVD is that Reg 0 NTSC one from three years ago. This was OK, with the source print coming from a restored broadcast edition, but it was framed at 1.85:1 with the credits in scope, along with the "rape of Christ" sequence. It seems that this copy was taken from the BBC's materials,with the missing material clumsily dropped in without adjusting the aspect ratio for consistency. The overall transfer wasn't a great one, but if Warner have dropped it, then this is the best we can hope for.

Ok. Movie studios make no sense sometimes. They want to make money right? Why announce something and than take it suddenly off the release schedule? Unless they deemed it way to offensive and paniced. Still, didn't they know before they make an announcement, duh!

I JUST saw the bootleg version of this about 3 days ago. Shocking movie- really abrasive. I was astonished that Warners would give it a proper unrated release, so I guess I'm not too surprised that they've pulled it.

Still sucks though. As uncomfortable as the movie is, it's pretty bold filmmaking and deserves to be on shelves.

Nice looking artwork And sure to annoy the Bible thumpers. But, although it's been a while since I saw it, what's the Arab looking guy doing there? It all loks overly Holy Land.

And what is this anyway? Is this the restored version at last with the 'Rape of Christ' sequence? Or just an utterly pointless (not a good sign of the restored version appearing)release of the same old cut version?

The lack of any extras is a DISGRACE. There is MUCH to say about this film and idded there is a superb UK documentary on it made by Mark Kermode.

I checked the IMDb and I can't fathom if this is truly fully uncut, or if the cut version (no 'Rape of Christ' sequence) was sent to America, where it got an 'X', who cut it AGAIN for an 'R'.

I remember seeing this film as part of "Midnight Movie" double features in the mid-70's along with other gems like Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fritz the Cat, Night of the Living Dead etc. A cult classic but I couldn't give you much on the details since I was heavily uhm.. medicated back then